Arcuate-edged discharge opening for hopper, and an arcuate closure for said opening



Dec. 11, 1951 H. STOCKMAR ARCUATE-EDGED DISCHARGE OPENING FOR HOPPER,

AND AN ARCUATE CLOSURE FOR SAID OPENING Filed Nov. 6, 1946 Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCUATE-EDGED DISCHARGE OPENING FOR HOPPER, AND AN ARCUATE CLO- SURE FOR SAID OPENING Albert H. Stockmar, Villa Rica, Ga.

Application November 6, 1946, Serial N 0. 708,108

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-509) This invention relates to improvements in hopper constructions and particularly to a type of hopper which may be used in discharging a plastic material such as wet poured concrete into molds.

It is a general object of this invention toprovide a hopper which may be used to fill simultaneously a plurality of molds arranged side by side or one or more elongated molds.

In its more specific aspects, the invention includes provisions for a hopper valve construction which may be easily operated to give a readily controlled, free flow of wet poured concrete or similar material. i

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve construction which may be adapted generally to purposes for which an elongated discharge opening or slot is essential.

More specifically stated, it is the object of this invention to provide a valve construction including a parallel pair of seat members having arcuate surface portions for seating a cylindrical, valve closure member, and means for maintaining the valve closure member in alignment with the seat members as the valve is opened and closed.

These and other features of improvement contributing to ease of operation, and dependability in use will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the hopper construction taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation, partly in section of the hopper construction and its support; v I

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the .hopper showing a plurality of molds in position for filling; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section showing the valve construction.

In Figs. 1 and 2, a trough-shaped hopper I is suspended in a horizontal position from'a plurality of spaced cantilever supporting frames l2, l2 embedded in a concrete anchoring base l4.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the hopper II] has a pair of downwardly converging sides l6 and 18, formed preferably of relatively light sheet metal, and integrally secured, as by welding, to a pair of upper longitudinal members 20, 20, which may conveniently be tubular pipes as shown.

A corresponding pair of close spaced and parallel lower longitudinal members 22, 22 are maintained in fixed. relation by a number of metal strips or spacer pieces 24, 24, which may be welded in place, The trough frame is com- 2 pleted by lateral frame members 26, 26 extending between the upper and longitudinal frame members 20 and 22 on the outside of thetro'ugh sides l6 and [8. As indicated in Fig. 2, additional sets of lateral frame members may be necessary between the ends of the hopper when the latter is of considerable length. The hopper I0 is completed by sheet metal ends 28, 30 of triangular shape. These ends 28 and 30 are integrally secured to the sides l6 and I8 and the several hopper frame members by welding or other convenient means.

Each cantilever supporting frame 12 includes a horizontal arm 32 to which the upper edges of the hopper ID are secured, as by welding, and a strut 34 which may be secured by welding to an adjacent lateral frame member 26 a short distance above the bottom of the hopper.

As shown best in Fig. 3, a cylindrical valve member or pipe 36 extends lengthwise of the hopper I n and is seated on convex arcuately curved surfaces of the lower longitudinal frame members 22, 22, the valve pipe 36 in this instance spanning and being of appreciably larger diameter than the frame members 22, 22. While the lower longitudinal members 22, 22, defining a lengthwise rectangular slot in the hopper ID, are cylindrical because made from lengths of pipe, it is essential only that they be of such shape in cross-section as to provide arcuate valve seat members along the respective lower edges of the hopper sides l6, I8. It will also be apparent that the basic requirements for the valve closure member 36 are that it be cylindrical or arcuate where it engages the valve seat members, that it span those members, and that it be free from interference with the metal spacer strips 24, 24, which are bent downwardly for this reason in the illustrative embodiment.

In addition to providing a self-centering seat for the valve closure member 36, the parallel lon-' gitudlnal pipes 22, 22 give the most efiicient orifice flow for a given slot width and produce a desirable lateral divergence of the discharge jet of wet pouring concrete mix, providing as they do rounded lip orifice portions extending beyond the bottom of the hopper ID. The cylindrical valve member 36 besides cooperating as indicated with the valve seat member 22, 22 has a cross-section which permits it to be moved easily through the plastic mix in the hopper Ill.

A multiple Windlass 38 comprising a Windlass shaft 40, extending lengthwise above the hopper I0 and supported in bearings 42. 42 on frame arms 32, is used to raise and lower the valve member 38 through a plurality of individual cables 44, 44 having their lower ends secured at spaced points to the valve member 36 by means such as an eye 46. As will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 2, rotation of the Windlass shaft 40 by means of a crank 48 extending from one end will cause the several cables 44 to wind or unwind to raise or lower the valve closure member 36 evenly. This; flexible hoist means of support for the valve pipe 36 and the viscous nature of the material which is to be fed from the hopper l makes it desirable to provide restraint against lateral movement-as the.

valve pipe 36 is moved up and down. The, desiredrestraining may be accomplished by welding a pair of parallel guides in the form of small pipe sections 50, 50 or 52, 52 to the respective hopper ends 28 and 30. These guides are identically arranged. to extend from the top of the hopper nearly to the bottom, as shown in Fig. l, are spaced so. asto'receive the ends of the pipe 36 with only a small amount of. clearance, and arev effective as. soon as the pipe 36' has risen appreciably from its seated pcmflon on the lower longitudinal members 22, 22. Thesiiding engagement of cylindrical pipe 36 with the cylindrical guide 50 or 52 results in a minimum of sliding friction. In Fig. 1, thepipe 36=is shown in dotted linesin elevated position between the guides 52', 52. V

- When a wheeledlrack or conveyor of concrete moldsC. ismoved under the hopper It, as illustrated'. in. Fig. 2, it will be possible to fill the entire set of molds uniformly and without spillage,

as the hopper I 0, and the conveyor supported molds are. substantially coextensive in length and the; molds; may be readily centered beneath the dischargeopenins of. thehopper. Assuming that the: hopper is first filled, with the amount'of wet. poured concrete. necessary to fill the molds, the operator willturn the. crank 48' to operate the multiple Windlass, and raise the cylindrical valve member 36 uniformly above its, seated position to permit discharge of the. concrete wuniformly into each of the molds or throughout the length of thesetiof molds. If desired, a measured amount of concrete sufficient only to fill the molds exactly may be placed in the. hopper before the valve member 36 is operated. Upon release of. the windlass crank. 48, the valve pipe 36 will move freely and acouratelyin, alignment with the slot of hoppuz: '1', andinto its original seated position.

While there. has. been. described a preferred, embodiment of this invention and one field of use in which it. possesses a high degree of. utility, it is not; intended that. the scope of the invention sbouldbe limited to any particular form of constzuction or, arrangement of parts other than as; may be required by the scope of thefollowing; claims:

Having thus. described my invention, what; I

claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is trol movement of the closure member to and from itsslot closing position, and a vertical pair of Y paralla guides secured inside each end of the hopper. and to receive the corresponding end of the closure member.

2 Concrete pouring apparatus comprising a trough-shaped. hopper formed by downwardly converging opposite sides and triangular ends, a

parallel pair of longitudinal pipes secured respectively to the lower edgeslof said sides to define a rectangnlarslot witha convex arcuate valve seat member on. each side, a valve, closure member in the form of. a pipe. of greater diameter than said longitudinal pipes constructed and arranged to rest on said valve seat members and. close said slot, means for elevating said. valve closure member evenly,.and a vertical pair of. parallel guide pipessecuredto the; inside of each triangular end and arranged to guide. opposite ends 01 said valve closure. member in a. plane aligned. with. said slot. Concrete: pouring: apparatus. comprisingv a hopper, having converging. side portions defining an elongated discharge; slot", a. parallel pair 0! elongated members extending alongithe. respective edges of said slot as continuations of the corresponding inner. surfaces 01 thesideportilons;v and elongated internal valve. closure; member hav-' ing a cylindrical portion adaptedto seat on saidelongated members to close said discharge slot, said elongated members each being of convex andarcuate shape in the portion engaged by said valve closure: member and having said shape continuing outwardly beyond said hopperto form a rounded lip-orifice portion.

ALBERT H. $TOCKMAR.

REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the the of this patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number 

